Great news for natural gas customers: South District (formerly UGI Utilities — Gas Division) said Friday its rate will decrease beginning Saturday.

The fuel portion of customers’ bills will drop by 10.6 percent, according to a company news release. That means the bill for a typical residential customer will fall from $67.78 per month to $60.59 per month.

“Natural gas continues to be an economical, reliable and economically responsible source of energy for our customers and our communities,” said Paul Szykman, UGI’s chief regulatory officer. “UGI is pleased to pass along these savings as the winter heating season begins.”

The decrease comes on top of a 2.8 percent decrease on June 1. Compared to a year ago, UGI customers will be paying approximately $11.02 less per month for their energy needs.

By law, utilities are required to pass the cost of the natural gas they purchase to customers without any markup.

Despite this decrease, UGI said some customers may have difficulty paying their utility bill. All customers are encouraged to sign up for UGI’s free budget billing program, which spreads costs evenly over 12 months. Additionally, customers on a fixed income can contact the company at 800-844-9276 to learn if they are eligible for energy assistance.

Customers can learn about energy efficiency and other topics at www.ugi.com. The company sells gas to more than 392,000 customers in 16 counties, including Lehigh and Northampton.